Abdominal exercise chair with flexible back bar and rotating seat

ABSTRACT

An abdominal exercise chair includes two or more spinal blocks flexibly engaged together along with one or more resistance elements to provide resistance and support for a user&#39;s back as the user bends forward, backward, to the side and twists to perform exercise. One or more handles at the top of the spinal support column enable a user to engage their hands to pull and twist while keeping their spine adjacent to the spinal support.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from copending U.S. Provisional patent application 60/809,361 filed May 31, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The inventions described below relate to the field of exercise equipment and more specifically to the field of abdominal and back exercisers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

In an age of exercise and fitness, the time-honored exercises are under attack as potentially damaging if done incorrectly especially if performed by someone in poor physical condition.

SUMMARY

An abdominal exercise chair includes two or more spinal blocks flexibly engaged together along with one or more resistance elements to provide resistance and support for a user's back as the user bends forward, backward, to the side and twists to perform exercise. One or more handles at the top of the spinal support column enable a user to engage their hands to pull and twist while keeping their spine adjacent to the spinal support.

An abdominal exercise chair includes a support frame, a seat pivotally secured to the support frame, a spinal guide having a base and a top, the base adjustably secured to the support frame, the spinal guide including three or more spinal blocks flexibly secured together using a connector between each of the three or more spinal blocks, one or more resistance elements secured between each of the three or more spinal blocks to provide exercise resistance, and a handle secured to the top of the spinal guide.

The abdominal exerciser chair provides exercise to the mid-section of a human body by providing a combination of movements and resistance for a user to optimize exercise and minimize discomfort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an abdominal exercise chair.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an abdominal exercise chair flexed forward.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an abdominal exercise chair with the spinal blocks exposed.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the abdominal exercise chair of FIG. 3 taken along A-A.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an abdominal exercise chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

Abdominal exercise chair 10 of FIG. 1 includes seat 12 rotatably secured to frame 13, spinal guide 14, pad or headrest 16 and handles 18.

In use, as shown in FIG. 2, a user seated on seat 12 reaches back over each shoulder and grasps handles 18 and may bend forward pulling spinal guide 14 against one or more resistance elements such as resistance element 20. A user may also bend to a side working against the resistance elements and or twist against the resistance elements to perform abdominal exercise. Any suitable combination of these motions may also be performed. Spinal guide 14 may enclose the resistance elements for safety and provide padded support to a user's spine during exercise.

Abdominal exercise chair 10 of FIG. 3 is illustrated with protective cover, spinal cover 22 removed to expose the spinal blocks forming spinal guide 14. Spinal socket 23 engages frame post 13P and may provide vertical adjustment to configure the abdominal exercise chair to correspond to each user's physical dimensions. Spinal socket 23 is secured to mounting block 14M mounting block 14M is also the lowest point of attachment for the one or more resistance elements 20. Mounting block 14M may adopt any suitable configuration to enable swiveling and or flexing at the base of spinal guide 14. One or more spinal blocks such a spinal blocks 14B are flexibly secured between mounting block 14M and top spinal block 14T. Handle post 24 is secured to top spinal block 14T for adjustable attachment of headrest 16 and a handle or handles such as handles 18L and 18R.

Any suitable technique may be employed to provide flexibility between spinal blocks. For example, spinal guide 14 of FIG. 4 includes a connector 25 between each spinal block such as between mounting block 14M and spinal block 14B, between adjacent spinal blocks 14B, and between spinal block 14B and top spinal block 14T. Connectors such as connector 25 may provide two or more degrees of freedom. One or more resistance elements 20 are removable engaged through each spinal block to provide adjustable tension for a user to exercise against. Swivel assembly 12S secures seat 12 to frame 13 and permits a user to swivel while exercising and thus further exercise the user's abdominal muscles.

Abdominal exercise chair 10 of FIG. 5 is exploded to illustrate a suitable configuration. Frame 13 engages legs 26 to provide stable support for seat swivel assembly 12S which in turn supports seat 12. Frame post 13P supports spinal socket 23 engaged to mounting block 14M. Adjacent spinal blocks such as spinal block 27 and spinal block 29 are flexibly engaged by connector 25. Connector 25 may include swivel post 30 rotatably engaged to connector block 32. Connector block 32 engages bend connector 34 on spinal block 27 which permits connector 25 to pivot about X-axis 35X relative to spinal block 27. Swivel post 30 engages spinal block 29 using one or more pins such as pins 36 to permit movement parallel to Z-axis 35Z between swivel post 30 and spinal block 29 along with rotation between swivel post 30 and spinal block 29 about Z-axis 35Z.

Resistance elements 20 engage each spinal block through channels such as channel 40. Resistance elements may be formed as tubes or bands of any suitable elastic material such as rubber, silicone or the like or they may be springs. Mounting block 14M may also include an adjustment such as adjustment spool 41 that permits adjustment of the tension applied by resistance elements 20.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have been described in reference to the environment in which they were developed, they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims. 

1. An abdominal exercise chair comprising: a support frame; a seat pivotally secured to the support frame; a spinal guide having a base and a top, the base adjustably secured to the support frame, the spinal guide including three or more spinal blocks flexibly secured together using a connector between each of the three or more spinal blocks; one or more resistance elements secured between each of the three or more spinal blocks to provide exercise resistance; and a handle secured to the top of the spinal guide.
 2. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 further comprising: a padded cover enclosing the spinal guide.
 3. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 further comprising: a headrest secured to the top of the spinal guide.
 4. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 further comprising: a tension adjustment spool securing the one or more resistance elements to the spinal guide.
 5. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 wherein the one or more resistance elements are rubber tubes.
 6. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 wherein the one or more resistance elements are silicon bands.
 7. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 1 wherein the one or more resistance elements are springs.
 8. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 4 wherein the one or more resistance elements are rubber tubes.
 9. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 4 wherein the one or more resistance elements are silicon bands.
 10. The abdominal exercise chair of claim 4 wherein the one or more resistance elements are springs. 